Unitary closure and mask for cathode-ray tubes



May 17, 1949.

Filed NOV. 15, 1946 D. JACKSON 2,470,620

UNITARY CLOSURE AND MASK FOR CATHODE-RAY TUBES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inuenlor Dumb! Ta -M A Home y May 17, 1949. D. JACKSON UNITARY CLOSURE AND MASK FOR CATHODE-RAY TUBES Filed Nov. 15, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Don aH jar-.Ksa N Attorney May 1949- D. JACKSON 2,470,620

*UNITARY CLOSURE AND MASK FOR CATHODE-RAY TUBES Filed Nov. 15, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor i Deva Jacks N Allorney Patented May 17, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNITARY CLOSURE AND MASK FOR CATHODE-RAY TUBES of Great Britain Application November 15, 1946, Serial No. 710,119 In Great Britain September 27, 1945 2 Claims. 1

In television or like apparatus incorporating a cathode ray tube the dimensions of the enclosing cabinet are to a large extent determined by the dimensions of the cathode ray tube, as a result of which television apparatus, as hitherto manufactured, has been incorporated in relatively bulky and heavy cabinets. It is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement whereby the cabinet may be considerably reduced in dimensions and weight with consequent saving of weight and raw material. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting for the cathode ray tube in television or like apparatus. Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In this specification and the acocmpanying drawings, I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention and various modifications thereof, but it is to be understood that these are not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but, on the contrary, are given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify and adapt it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a front perspective view of a television receiver embodying one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the receiver shown in Fig. 1 with the cabinet, however, partially broken away and certain portions shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken along line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side view analogous to that of Fig. 3, showing in partial section a modified form of cover for the front end of the cathode ray tube.

Fig. 5 similarly is a sectional View of a further modification of the cover, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken along line 55 of Fig. 2, showing the mounting for the front end of the cathode ray tube.

As earlier mentioned, television and other apparatus incorporating a cathode ray tube has hitherto been characterised by an undesirable bulkiness and heaviness of the enclosing case or cabinet, due principally to the relatively great depth of cabinet required to enclose the relatively long cathode ray tube. These undesirable features are accentuated in television receivers, since not only has the tube itself to be accommodated, but also the sloping framing mask and protective window customarily provided over the front end, i. e. the screen end, of the tube.

In order to mitigate the above-noted conditions, in accordance with the present invention, the cathode ray tube is carried by a chassis with the front end or screen portion of the tube projecting beyond the front edge of the chassis, and the enclosing cabinet is made with general dimensions sufficient to accommodate the depth of the chassis, and is provided with an opening in its front wall through which the front of the cathode ray tube may project, the opening being covered by a housing of sufficient dimensions to enclose the front end of the tube. Preferably, the housing is made only large enough to enclose and protect the projecting portion of the cathode ray tube. The front of the housing incorporates a window through which the fluorescent screen on the front end of the tube may be viewed. Thus, the cabinet is provided with a projecting portion which may be likened to a bay window, in which the front end of the cathode ray tube is accommodated. In this manner, the general overall depth of the cabinet may be considerably reduced without the rear end of the cathode ray tube having to project from the back of the cabinet, whilst also the picture viewed on the screen of the tube stands forward from the cabinet in a pleasing manner.

As the front end of the tube is of generally circular shape, the projecting bay window housing may be made substantially square to circumscribe the front end of the tube, and may be made with or without curved tops and sides. The housing may be internally shaped to embrace the front end of the tube or a rubber or like gasket embracing the tube. The housing may also be formed or provided with a masking frame corresponding to the size of the picture to be displayed. Since the picture displayed in a television receiver is generally of oblong form, the projecting housing may be of similar form and be provided with bulbous portions at its upper and lower surfaces to embrace the top and bottom edges of the front of the cathode ray tube.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the television receiver illustrated has a cabinet I9 of general dimensions sufficient to accommodate the receiver chassis, denoted generally by H. The cathode ray tube I2 is supported at the rear by a saddle utilised in the mounting of the front end of the tube. In this embodiment, the gasket I6 incorporates integrally therewith an oblong sloping masking frame I! corresponding to the size of the picture to be displayed on the. screen I8 of the tube. The ring I6 andframe II-are formed as a single rubber moulding. It will be appreciated from a consideration of-Fig. 2. that the frame I I projects forwardly beyond'the front'endfofthe' tube I2.

The cabinet II] has an opening I9 in its front wall through which the front end of tube I2 carrying'frame'll protrudes. A-hous-ing 20 fits over and closes the-opening" I9; so as to-enclose-and accommodate the projecting front end of tube l2 and'the frame IT. The housing is shown as being generally-oblong, conforming to the shape of' the picture to be displayed, and: in order to accommodate the top and bottom excess portions of the front of:the tube I2 which are masked byframe' H, the housing Zll'is formed-with upper and lowerbulbous portions 2 l for that purpose,

as more clearly seenin Fig. 3.- The housing 20- maybe made of anysuitable material, such. as

wood, plastic or" metal, and: is' formed with awindow in" its front through. which the tube screen- I8 may be viewed; In:theembodiment-:de-

picted" in Figs; 1 to 3", the housing 20 is openfronted and formed at its front with a seating recess 22 into which a transparent protective plate 23, e. g. of glass or aplastic is fitted to cover the front of tube I2,. the plate 23 being. held inplace by'a' bezel 24 into which are fixed bolts 25 or the like which extend'from the rear of the bezel and pass through the housing 20 into theinterior of cabinet I where they are nutted or otherwise securedto'an anchorage on the chassis I I to hold" the housing assembly together in place on the front of the cabinet.

In the receiver illustrated; the loudspeaker 25 for reproducing thesound-accompanying thepicture' displayed on tube screen I8 is shown disposed to one side of the projecting housing 20. The loudspeaker may, however, be disposed above or below the housing 20, if -so' desired, for'example in a console model. The necessary sound aperture provided: in' the" cabinet front wall in front of the loudspeaker may'be covered with a: grille-or fret member 21 which may incorporate a movable shutter 28 or the like behind which some of thepreset controls (not shown) ofzthe receiver may be disposed, sothat when the" shutter is closedthe'r controls are hidden. The loudspeaker facing 21 may; forexample' and as shown in Fig. 1, comprise'a rectangularm'ember having the shutter 28" slid'abl'e' up and down in the lower region thereof, the-shutter having a suitable fingerhold 29"for-operating the same.

Inthe described embodiment, the-frame I'Iis incorporated with the-gasket'ring Id. Other arrangements are, however, possible. Forexample,

in a modification as illustrated in Fig. 4, the" masking frame I'Iwisincorporated with-the housing 20a; and these may-be made integral, such asby moulding the same as a-unit in a plastic material, the unit being-formed with. a' recess 22a toreceive a transparent window plate'asin'theprevious embodiment. In this modification, the gasket ring performs only its function in the mounting of the front end of tube I2.

In a further modification, the projecting housing, masking frame and protective window may all be made integrally as a single unit 30, as illustrated in Fig. 5, by moulding the same in a transparent plastic. Such unit may, for example, be pressed from transparent plastic sheet stock, and the formed unit may be rendered opaque, e. g. by spraying, on the rear surfaces of the housing portion 20b and masking frame portion I'Ib thereof, the portion 23b constituting the protective window plate being, of course, left transparent. The window'portion 23b is shaped to closely fit the curved front face of the tube I2, as it has been found that this affords better protection than a separate glass plate.

A further feature of the invention consists in the arrangement for mounting and supporting the-front end of thecathode ray tube, as best seen in Fig. 6. As earlier mentioned, the front of the tube I2.-is fitted with anembracing gasket ring I6 of rubber or like material.

two-angle platebrackets32- each secured by'one' plate 33 thereof 'to'the frontwall 34 of the chassis" II so that the other plate 35- of' each bracket extends outwardly and upwardly to a point ad'- jacent the end of the cathode raytube I2 which projects beyond'tl'ie front wall 34 of the chassis II. Between the upper ends of the plates 35 of these two brackets is supported a curved strip:

member-36' constituting the saddle, which is secured to the plates 35, as by rivetting or welding. The ends of the saddle strip are bent outwardly to form fixing flanges 3'! provided with fixing holes. A similar curved strip member 38 constituting the clamping strap is fitted over the top half of the rubber ring I6, and is likewise formed at its ends with apertured fixing flanges 39; the strap being secured to the saddle by nutted bolts 40 passed through the holes in the flanges 31 and 39.

The gasket ring I6 is preferably made of thick flexible material'and is provided with one or more axial slots (not shown) sothat it can be tightened by the clamping strap and saddle against the tube without actually compressing the rubber of the gasket to any great extent. Preferably two such slots are provided at diametrically opposite points of the gasket ring.

I claim:

1. A closure for mounting on a television receiver cabinet in closing relation to an opening rounding a transparent window portion of said front portion, said transparent window portion being outwardly curved and said'peripheral marginal portion being flared, diverging outwardly from said outwardly curved window portion.

2. A closure for mounting ona television re This gasket has an inwardly projecting flange portion 3| (Fig. 3) and is internally shaped so that it snugly fits around the front periphery of the-tube. The

ceiver cabinet in closing relation to an opening therein and in front of the cathode ray tube of the receiver, said closure consisting of a onepiece moulding of transparent material including a front portion and a flange portion forming a side wall extending around the periphery of said front portion, said front portion comprising a portion which is of outwardly curved cross-sectional configuration and merges into a peripheral marginal portion surrounding said outwardly curved portion, said marginal portion being flared divergently outwardly from said curved portion, a coating of opaque material applied to said flange portion and to said marginal portion to render said flange portion and said marginal portion. opaque to form a masking frame surrounding said curved portion of said front portion which is left transparent to form a viewing window.

DONALD JACKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,388,761 Patterson, Jr. Nov. 13, 1945 

